This exceptional home where we’re staying with friends is for sale…See details below…

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Nothing was spared in the design and decor of this enticing property.

There’s no doubt our friend’s home in Eden Prarie, Minnesota, has been an ideal location for us during our three weeks in Minnesota. As a long-time dear friend with whom I’ve stayed in close touch over the years, Karen didn’t hesitate to invite us to stay with her and Rich.

The property is located in a tree-lined paradise allowing stunning views of the lake.

I knew this house years ago when we lived in Minnesota but hadn’t stayed here in the past. Instead, we stayed in another of Karen’s homes during our last several weeks in Minnesota in October 2012, when we had to clear out of our house for the estate sale.

The two-bedroom apartment, ideal for in-laws, nanny, or rental, is located above the four-car garage.

There are few people in the world with whom we’ll stay in their homes. We have specific requirements and a routine that may interfere with theirs and our daily activities. 

Many exceptional parties have been held in this expansive home.

Also, we don’t want any potential hosts trying to figure out what I eat and to go through the effort to make meals for us. It’s just too much work for friends and family to muddle their way through this process. 

The dining room isn’t a typical closed-off formal area. Instead, it flows into open spaces in this home, creating a perfect environment for entertaining or casual everyday dining.

Karen’s diet is quite similar to mine, and thus when we’ve been around to share meals, we have no trouble making it work. Of course, we’ve been so busy, we’ve hardly been here at dinnertime.

The abundance of cupboard space, pantries, and unique storage spaces make this an ideal workspace and promising area for prepping meals and gathering for conversation.

As a small token of thank you, tonight we’re all going out to dinner at Gianni’s Steakhouse in downtown Wayzata, an upscale area on the famous Lake Minnetonka. Karen’s birthday is on the 30th, and we’ll celebrate tonight.

The family room or lounge is located conveniently next to the kitchen and veranda.

Tom and I spent many special romantic dinners at this dining establishment, and we’re incredibly excited to share the experience with Karen and Rich, who’ve never dined at Gianni’s.

A fireplace adorns this entertaining and lounging area with easy access to the outdoors.

Their gorgeous home on Duck Lake, where we’ve been honored to stay, is currently on the market for sale. We decided we’d like to share the information on this exceptional property with our readers who may be interested in this fine property or…know someone who is. 

One may be required to work at home, but this space makes it seamless and inviting.

To reach the listing company and agent for additional information on this beautiful home, please click here.

The top of the stairs at the second level is architecturally interesting in itself.

Having visited this home many times in our old lives (before traveling the world for seven years), its stunning ambiance and inviting appeal were familiar to us. Having the opportunity to stay here among such definitive beauty and elegance both in the house and on the grounds was an easy decision.

The master bedroom has many enticing amenities.

As you’d expect, we aren’t being charged a fee to be here and are doing everything we can to say “thank you.” That’s our way. That’s the way of our friends. 

What spectacular views from the soaking tub in the ensuite master bath.

But the magic of it all is the great fun the four of us celebrate almost every night when they return from work, and we return from our day and evening activities with family when we settle into the warm and enticing lounge and relax with this delightful, intelligent and highly conversational couple. 

Few homes possess a walk-in closet of this caliber. The ease of organization is evident in every space.

It couldn’t be more wonderful. The surroundings inside the house and outside the property create a sense of calm and restoration each time we enter, a quiet and peaceful respite from our busy, action-packed days. Our ability to unwind with the two of them has been one of many highlights of our time here.

This is currently our temporary living room in the walk-out area. Note all the light that enters this huge and convenient space.

Minnesota has countless beautiful lakes, and owning a house directly located on the lakeshore is highly desired by most homeowners and potential homeowners. No, it’s not always affordable, and let’s face it, this price range isn’t for everyone.

We are sleeping in this bright bedroom with a fireplace and intriguing design.

However, for those searching in this price range, they won’t be disappointed when they wander through this one-acre, 6149 square foot lakeshore home with six bedrooms, five bathrooms, three floors of living space, plus an entire two-bedroom apartment with a rental income potential of approximately $1500 month, which can offset a portion of the costs.

Not only is this laundry area an easy and spacious workspace, but next door to it is another “freezer/additional refrigerator/mudroom suitable for any size family. 

With only eight days remaining until we depart Minnesota, we will continue to embrace the ease and comfort we’re experiencing in this gorgeous home with our equally beautiful friends. 

The living room of the separate apartment is welcoming and bright.
The kitchen in the two-bedroom apartment.

Again, here’s the link to the listing for pricing and further information.

A dock on the lake’s edge for spring and summer boating. Wildlife abounds in this area.

Thank you for stopping by one more time. We’ll be back with more tomorrow, including photos from our celebratory dinner tonight.

With only a portion of the 127 feet of lakeshore visible in this summertime photo, the grounds include a hand-crafted gazebo, many gardens, and pleasing landscaping.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 20, 2018:

Wildebeest Willie and a young Big Daddy kudu seemed to get along well while eating pellets in the early evening. For more photos, please click here.

“It’s always somethin’ Jane!”…

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Six years ago today, on November 19, 2013, we posted this photo when we visited the Swahili Beach Resort for dinner at Diani Beach, Kenya.

We can live anywhere in the world, and wherever we may be at any given time, life isn’t free from worries and concerns for ourselves and our loved ones. As we spend more time with family while in Minnesota, we have a first-hand opportunity to witness the trials and tribulations of those we love, often centered around health problems commonly found due to aging and other causes.

With our dear DIL dealing with cancer and similarly one of Tom’s sisters and with Tom’s sister, Sister Beth, in the hospital with some unknown illness, we find ourselves worried. Tom spent the better part of the day at a local hospital with DIL Tracy, who tests for a problematic condition, yet unknown, we feel like health issues are everywhere. We hope and pray Tracy will be OK.

No one is exempt from the risks of acquiring health conditions. When Tom met for lunch with several railroad retirees last week, more than half of the group was suffering from one serious illness or another. Railroad workers are often exposed to toxic chemicals in their line of work which may result in severe health conditions later in life.

When we’ve met with his family over these past several days, it’s evident that many are in the throes of recovery from surgery or illness or in the manifestation of a new condition in itself.

What’s happened in this world? Why are so many people getting cancer, heart disease, and a wide array of other life-threatening illnesses? When I think of my situation, I can hardly blame it on lifestyle or pesticides. I’ve spent a lifetime eating healthy, fresh foods, avoiding sugars, starches, and now in the past eight years, grains.

Of course, there’s no easy answer. For many, illnesses may be age-related, lifestyle-related, environmental, and as in my case, genetic, the most difficult causal factor to change. 

As research, unbiased of course, not funded by Big Pharma, continues in many of these areas, “they” are discovering more on the role genetics play in our health throughout of lives. Perhaps, not in our lifetime, but down the road, more discoveries will be made to attempt to avert some of these seemingly inevitable scenarios.

On this topic…as each day passes, I begin to feel a little better. My cough is about 20% better than yesterday, now day 4 of antibiotics and Prednisone. I can’t wait to be able to breathe more easily and sleep better at night.

They provided us with discount coupons for the meds! Amazing! Still, I remain grateful for the quality of care I had at the local Medexpress Clinic and, of course, the reasonable fees of $189, plus the cost of the various medications that weren’t too bad.

Next week on Wednesday, when I see the cardiologist for my early one-year heart check, it will be much more expensive, and we’re bracing ourselves for that. Since my heart feels good, I see no reason for a plethora of tests.

As one of the world’s worst patients, I tend to pick and choose what I feel is appropriate for me, not necessarily what the doctor may order. Many may disagree with this type of thinking, but we each have to be our advocates and do what we feel is suitable.

Taking drugs that cause me to be exhausted, in pain, and feeling ill is not on the horizon for me. Quality of life is of the utmost importance, and I continually strive to build and maintain such a lifestyle to enhance that possibility.

That’s it for today, folks. Please stay tuned for more mundane updates on family matters. In nine days, we’ll be in Las Vegas. Certainly, there will be a few more photos ops and forms of entertainment to share with our readers.

May you be well, healthy and content.

Photo from one year ago today, November 19, 2018:
Kudus in the garden. It was always important to feed the animals during the dry summer months in South Africa, during a drought. Vegetation was at a minimum, and they often depended on offerings from the visitors living in the bush. For more, please click here.

On the upswing…

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Five years ago today, Tom got a kick out of this old Ford “woody” that was on display at the Maui Tropical Plantation. For more photos, please click here.

We had hoped to stay here through Thanksgiving and possibly Christmas to help Camille and Greg while going through chemo. Unfortunately, my severe allergy to cats (and they have one, Morty) has made it impossible for me to be at their home for very long, especially since I got this dreadful “cruise cough,” yet to be resolved.

I’m hopeful today when last night I was able to sleep for about seven hours for the first time since our arrival ten days ago. I awoke five hours after taking Nyquil Cough, planning to stay awake another hour for another dose which can be repeated every six hours.  Miraculously, I fell back to sleep while waiting for the hour to pass.

The cough is a little better today, three days after the initial doses of cortisone and antibiotics, obviously both of which I needed. I’m hoping by the time we leave Minnesota in 10 days, this cough will be gone.

Today for several hours, we have some quiet time. Tom doesn’t have to leave until 3:15 pm to pick up Vincent for this afternoon’s planned activities, including a visit to a pinball place where they’ll most certainly have a good time. 

This afternoon, my long-time dear friend Chere, a highly successful motivational speaker, is stopping by around 3:30 to visit for a few hours. Chere and I have stayed in close touch all these years of world travel. I’m looking forward to seeing her.

With limitations on our time, we won’t have an opportunity to see many of our friends this time. We’re doing the best we can during this short three-week stay.

A short while ago, Tom got a call from his sister Colleen that their sister Betty 
(a nun) had gone into the hospital overnight in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for an unknown reason. Sister Beth had come here last week to see us. Due to my busy schedule, I was disappointed I never had a chance to see her. However, Tom spent time with her.

This morning, Tom called the convent to ascertain which hospital she was in and possibly receive information on her condition. He’s awaiting a callback. Once he hears, he’ll provide the remainder of the family with an update of her condition, based on how much information he can get from the hospital or if she’s able to talk from her.

The remaining ten days here in Minnesota will be busy. Tomorrow, Greg and I will go to lunch at his favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Uptown. On Wednesday, Camille and I go shopping for Christmas gifts for the kids. I’ve agreed to help her wrap packages but bring them back to Karen’s house when I can no longer spend much time near the cat.

Wednesday night, we’re taking Karen and Rich out to dinner at Gianni’s Restaurant in Wayzata, a favorite place from our old life with many romantic memories. This will be their first time dining there, and we can only hope it will be as wonderful as it was years ago.

And it goes on and on with many things planned in the next ten days. On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, I’m going to a cardiac check-up at the Minnesota Heart Institute. I’d like to have this out of the way before we head to India. We’re praying for a good result that my progression has been good, and for now, I’m out of the woods. Of course, we’ll report the results here.

Soon, I’ll take off for the market. We need a few items, and it will be fun for me to wander through a US grocery store on my own leisurely.

Please stay healthy and happy as we roll into the holiday season in the USA.

Photo from one year ago today, November 18, 2018:

From left to right around the table:  Kathy, Janet, Steve, Don, Louise, Danie, Leon, Dawn, Uschi, Evan, while Tom and I shared the end of the table. Total in attendance: 12. For more photos, please click here.

Driving for the first time in almost 2½ years…Movie day with three kids…Cinema Grill…Six year ago photo…

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This is my parent’s wedding photo we posted one year ago on this date. Ironically, six years ago today, we booked the hotel with our cruise ending in Boston, with the intent of visiting my father’s gravesite and seeing family. For details of that date, please click here.

Was it almost 2½ years ago that I drove a car? Yes, it was. I drove in Las Vegas in July 2017 when visiting my sister Susan nearly every day, driving for an hour each way to her then home in North Las Vegas. 

Not the best driver on the planet, I never drove again after we left the US, living in countries with left-handed manual transmissions on the opposite side of the road that we’re used to.

On November 1st, she moved a half-hour closer to an assisted living facility, a long overdue and necessary situation for my dear sister’s bedridden condition of chronic pain, inflammation, and a myriad of other inflammatory-based chronic conditions. Genetic makeup, our fate.

When we arrive in Las Vegas on Thanksgiving Day, on November 28th, at about 6:00 pm, we’ll go out to dinner with son Richard to celebrate being together once again and the Thanksgiving holiday at a local Henderson/Green Valley Ranch restaurant, only minutes from his home.

The next day, we’ll visit the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles to apply for our renewal driver’s licenses to get one more necessary task out of the way during this USA visit. The next day, I’ll drive to visit my sister Susan at her new place.

But, today, I finally drove when Camille loaned us her extra SUV they’re trying to sell since she’d recently purchased a newer model. To me, the older model is amiable and modern and has everything I need. 

When we have to return the rental car on November 22nd, Camille suggested we keep using the extra SUV to save money on another rental for our remaining six days. We accepted the generous offer and will do so. 

In the interim, we have two cars which will come in handy over the next five days, as we each attend more separate activities with our respective families. With only 11 days until we depart for Las Vegas, we’ll continue on the whirlwind of activity.

As it turned out, Karen and Rich insisted we join them for chicken dinner tonight at their home. We certainly appreciate the opportunity to have a home-cooked meal after eating out, often twice a day. Plus, we love spending time with the two of them.

This morning Tom joined Tammy, Tracy, and Vincent to do the “Escape Room,” an interactive game through a maze of rooms where participants have to figure out a series of clues and challenges to get through the rooms. Sounds fun. They had a good time.

On his way to the event at the Mall of America, he dropped me off at Camille and Greg’s home since I’d planned to take the kids to the Cinema Grill in New Hope, a suburb of Minneapolis, not too far from their home. The movie theatre has special seating for ordering and eating meals and a decent bar menu. 

The kids ordered their meals, primarily burgers, and fries while I had a salad, and we began watching the adorable movie, Abominable, an adorable animated kids movie. They loved the movie, and not surprisingly, as a movie buff, I enjoyed it too.

The food service was slow and somewhat of a distraction while trying to order and eat but the four of us (me, Maisie, Miles, and Madighan) had a good time nonetheless, relishing our time together.

After the movie, we headed back to their home, and I dropped off the kids, stopping inside to see how Camille was feeling after Thursday’s chemo. She was rallying and feeling considerably better than she had when we stopped in last night on our way out with Tammy and Tracy. Busy. Very busy.

Last night’s constant coughing kept me from sleeping, plus taking Prednisone tends to keep me awake all night, so I had only about three hours of sleep, awakening myself every hour for a coughing jag. The codeine cough medicine didn’t work as well as Nyquil which I’ll return to tonight. 

Right now, sleep will be the best remedy for me to turn the corner on this respiratory distress. No luck yet after two doses of antibiotics and Prednisone. Usually, by day three, results will kick in. Hopefully, this happens tomorrow.

That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back with the continuation of our hectic schedule. Please hang in there with us.

Have a happy Sunday wherever you may be.

Photo from one year ago today, November 17, 2018:

Big Daddies, sharing pellets and the zebras. For more photos, please click here.

Activity levels continue…Improving yet?…

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From left to right beginning at Jacoby, Tom’s grand-nephew; Vincent, our grandson; Kathy, Tom’s niece, daughter of brother Jerome to her left; then Patty, Tom’s sister at the right end of the table, then Tammy, Tom’s daughter: Tracy, Tammy’s partner; Colleen, Tom’s sister and her husband, Gene. Tom and I were seated and the end of the table and not seen in the photo.

I don’t think we’ve been so busy each day since we began our travels seven years ago. The days are flying by, but we’re experiencing plenty of quality time with our families.

Yesterday afternoon, after posting, we headed to Billy’s Bar in Anoka, Minnesota, where we met up with three of Tom’s sisters, Mary, Patty, and Colleen, and her husband Gene and grandson Jacoby. There was a total of seven of us. 

Happy hour begins at 3:30 PM each Friday at Billy’s, but the family’s weekly visits routine is to arrive early at 3:00 pm to ensure a good place to sit at a large enough table. We complied and arrived at 3:00 pm along with the others.

Frugal as a group, we all waited until the happy hour and sipped on tap water until we finally ordered our drinks. I was the only wine drinker at the table, while the remainder of the group had various types of beer while Jacoby drank soda.

As always, the conversation among any gatherings of Tom’s family members is filled with teasing, laughter, and mostly light entertaining conversation…no politics, religion, or sex but with an occasional smattering of teasing on those particular topics as well. Delightful, to say the least.

We all ordered our dinners inWe all ordered our dinners in a short period, which proved to be quite a good bar menu with tasty freshly prepared meals. As usual, I ordered an equivalent of a grilled chicken chop salad with avocados and vegetables and was content. 

Tom was thrilled to order an authentic Rueben sandwich he hadn’t had in a long while. Those ordered outside the US are not quite the same. We all enjoyed our meals and light banter. By 6:30 pm, we were out the door to follow Mary to see hers and her husband Eugene’s new townhouse (he was gone hunting, typical this time of year in MN). 

They’d recently sold the family home of many years and downsized to the townhouse, which was quite lovely in a handy location of Andover, with easy access to other family members, shopping, and restaurants, all important to retired seniors.

We stayed at Mary’s for an hour or more and later brought Patty back to her home in Blaine, a nearby town, saying goodnight and heading back to Karen’s and Rich’s home.

As has been the case over several evenings since we arrived in Minnesota, we changed into comfy clothes and joined Karen and Rich upstairs for lively chatter. Karen and I have been extremely close for many years, and the conversation among the four of us often becomes introspective and vulnerable. 

The variances in the types of conversations with our family and friends generate an opportunity to explore many avenues of topics all in their way, stimulating and fascinating. Keeping in mind, Tom and I have spent the past seven years together almost exclusively, and conversing with those we love is extra special on many levels.

This morning at 10:00 am, we arrived at Perkins for breakfast with Tammy, Tracy, Vincent, and another 10 of Tom’s family members for a group of 13. Once again, we had a great time, chatting and carrying on. 

I finally had a chance to talk to grandson Vincent, who will be 14 next month, who is now a head taller than quite an intelligent young man and me. Our conversation centered around his schooling and technology, one of my favorite conversations with the grandkids these days who have quite a handle on modern devices and apps. It’s fun to see, although they often have their heads buried in their devices.

After we left from breakfast around noon, we headed back to Eden Prairie to stop at the Medexpress Clinic, only a few minutes from Karen’s house. Since they offered an additional ten days of service at no charge for the same condition, I felt I could use another nebulizer treatment. 

After 24 hours on the cortisone, via an injection and dose of tablets, there hasn’t been any improvement in my pulse oxygenation (pulse ox). The tests still showed I wasn’t able to breathe deeply. I’ve still been coughing and having breathing problems. I met with a different doctor today, and he suggested when I hadn’t improved overnight, to begin a five-day course of Z-Pack (antibiotics). 

I hesitated about taking antibiotics but he made a good case…with my recent open-heart surgery, it as too risky to ignore any possible bacteria which for quite sometime after heart surgery can be very dangerous, i.e. getting dental work or having other procedures and illnesses such as viruses, colds, and flu. 

I may not have pneumonia now but with the severity of my respiratory condition, including asthma symptoms, proceeding with caution was the best course of action.

We drove across the street to Walgreens to fill the prescription for the Z-Pack, a bottle of cough medicine with codeine, and another bottle of Benedryl, a single pill to be taken at bedtime with the cough medicine. This way, I won’t cough and sneeze all night and perhaps get some sleep—no more Nyquil for me.

Right now, as I write this, it’s almost 5:30 pm on Saturday. We’re meeting up with Tammy, Tracy, and Vincent at Park Tavern Restaurant and Bowling alley at 9:00 pm for Cosmic bowling. Tom and I will go early and have dinner, stopping at Greg and Camille’s home for a few minutes on the way to say hi and see how she’s doing after yesterday’s chemo.

It will be another late night, most likely not returning to Karen’s until well after midnight. Tomorrow is yet another busy, action-packed day. Nothing we’re doing is strenuous for me, and the doctor said I could continue to enjoy the festivities but focus on getting better sleep at night. (Tonight, I won’t be bowling instead, watching the others bowl).

We’ll be back with more tomorrow. Please continue to stay with us for only 12 days until we head to warmer sunny Las Vegas, where we’ll spend 11 days visiting with more family, renewing our driver’s licenses, and applying for new four-year passports, as mentioned earlier post. It will be another busy period in our USA visit, just as expected.

Be well. Be happy, and please stop back to say hello.

Photo from one year ago today, November 16, 2019:

Our resident monitor lizard came out of his hovel for a drink from the cement pond. For more photos, please click here.

A long overdue confession…

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Another photo from one year ago today in our garden in Marloth Park. This young bushbuck always stayed very close to her mom, while others we’ve seen will wander off but not too far away. Please click here for more photos.

I don’t even know where to begin. We always promised to be vulnerable and real in our posts, and I’ve failed to be spot on the past few weeks. Today, I’ll share exactly what has transpired and how we’ve dealt with the latest challenge. Although not earth-shattering, it was enough to make us concerned. Here goes:
On day 5 of the transatlantic cruise, I noticed a slight tickle in my throat. It wasn’t precisely a sore throat. It was just a tiny tickle. I didn’t give it much thought. 

The next night, day 6, I felt tired, dizzy, and out of sorts. I went to happy hour with Tom but couldn’t take a sip of my wine. I left and went off to bed in our cabin. Tom brought me grilled chicken breasts and steamed veggies from the cafeteria for dinner while I encouraged him to eat in the dining room and have a good time with other passengers.

I watched three free on-demand movies while picking at my food. My favorite was Godzilla. Go figure.

By 9:30 pm, Tom returned to the cabin for the evening, and after a good night’s sleep, I felt much better the next day, able to dine in the dining room for breakfast and dinner, post a new blog and carry on with our usual fun cruise activities throughout the day. The tickle in my throat continued.

By day 8, I lost my voice and started to cough…a cough from hell, dry, painful, and disgusting to hear. I carried around piles of paper towels and tissues carefully covering my mouth when I had a painful bout of coughing, which was more often than not.

Over the next few days, half of the cruise passengers were hacking. I was not alone. But, the worse part was I could hardly talk. Every time I attempted to say anything, I was propelled into an uncontrollable bout of coughing. It wasn’t easy to be around. It was difficult not to be able to talk when cruising is all about lively conversations.

By the time we reached Minnesota, I felt like I was “coughing up a lung” during each awful session. I started taking Nyquil for coughing at night, and at least I’ve been able to sleep for a few hours each night.

I didn’t want to say anything about this here. After all, our dear readers have spent months reading about my health woes. I didn’t want to burden any of you with more. It was bad enough. Tom has had to put up with me.

Most days, since we arrived in Minnesota a week ago, I’ve spent considerable time at son Greg’s home with Camille and the three kids. On each occasion, I found myself gasping for air. I knew why. I am grossly allergic to cats. And there adorable Morty was unwittingly a source of my breathing distress…asthma exacerbated by exposure to cat dander, a big no-no for me all of my life.

After a dreadful night last night, awake most of the night coughing, I decided it was time to get this dealt with, one way or another. At 9:00 am this morning, we headed a few miles down the road to the MedExpress Care Eden Prairie, MN clinic, a walk-in urgent care center.

Of course, with all the wheezing sounds in my chest, I was concerned about pneumonia or, even worse, congestive heart failure. Any recent cardiac patient would think of such things.

After a short wait, we were whisked inside an exam room, and I had one of the best medical experiences of my life. The professional and proficient care included a chest x-ray, a breathing treatment, an injection of cortisone, and two prescriptions…one for a seven-day course of oral cortisone and another for an asthma inhaler.

I clapped my hands when the doctor came back into the room after the x-ray had been read by a radiologist at the local hospital to discover I didn’t have pneumonia and…the most exciting news…my heart and lungs looked great. Whew! I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

The total bill for all the services, including breathing treatment, doctor visit, x-ray, injection, and two prescriptions (for which they provided coupons), was a total of $189! Not too bad, considering we don’t have any US health insurance.

I walked out the door smiling. Sure, I am very disappointed I have to stay away from Morty, but we’ll plan to do things with the kids, Greg and Camille, away from their house. On Sunday at noon, I am picking them up for dinner and a movie at the Cinema Grill, a movie theatre that offers full meals to eat during the movie. The kids love this.

Yesterday, we booked our flight to Las Vegas, arriving on Thanksgiving evening(November 28). Once we arrive at Richard’s home in Henderson, we’ll all go out for Thanksgiving dinner. This will be pretty fun.

All and all, I am looking forward to feeling better and have learned my lesson about being around cats. Today, we’re headed to a local bar to have happy hour and snacks with Tom’s sisters and their significant others.

Now, I can relax knowing I don’t have some dreadful condition other than the annoyance of coughing every few minutes. Darn “cruise, cough!” The clinic staff was amazing and so supportive. I couldn’t have asked for more.

Gosh, just because we live this life of world travel doesn’t mean we’re exempt in any way from the challenges most people face at one point or another. We’re very grateful we dodged yet another bullet. Life is good.

Happy day, dear readers. And please, take care of yourself!

Photo from one year ago today, November 15, 2019:

A pair of giraffes, each munching on opposite sides of the road. For more photos, please click here.

Challenges of life…Never easy…Often unexpected…

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Last night, we took granddaughter Madighan to her weekly karate class. It was fun watching her and four boys in the same age group, learning the moves presented by Sensei Luiz.

Today, I spent the day at the cancer center at Park Nicollet Frauenshuh Cancer Center at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park with my daughter-in-law Camille. She has stage three colon cancer, of which we were apprised a few months ago.

This heartbreaking news for the mother of three of our grandchildren and wife of son Greg had prompted us to come to Minnesota without an outgoing flight and a level of uncertainty as to how long we’d stay. 

Our original plan was to stay for two weeks, but now we’ve extended it to three weeks based on circumstances and would have stayed longer except for the fact I am grossly allergic to cats which causes severe asthma. Greg and Camille have Morty, an adorable cat.

I am unable to spend more than a few hours at their house each day and thus, we’ve decided we’ll be leaving Minnesota on Thanksgiving Day which is the best time to fly out to avoid the holiday rush on either end.

We feel sad to be leaving early, but have no choice since I am hardly in a position to be having breathing problems at this point, or for that matter, at any point.

When we lived here seven years ago I’d only spend a few hours at their home while visiting. More often, they came to visit us or we did activities out and about. Now with winter fast approaching, snow on the ground, and bitterly cold weather, outdoor activities aren’t practical.

We’re spending as much time as possible with the grandkids and their parents, enjoying everything we’re doing together. Often times, Tom and I are separated, spending time with our respective families.

As for dear Camille, she is doing as well as anyone could under these dreadful circumstances. Her strength and attitude is exceptional, not surprisingly, and we have all the hope and anticipation she will recover from this frightening disease.

Her family and friends have lovingly and helpfully rallied around her and she is in good hands with lots of love, support, and prayers. I hadn’t mentioned this in a prior post since I wanted to ensure she was comfortable with my doing so.

Today, while we spent several hours in the private chemo suite, we had a good chance to talk and she agreed that my writing about her condition would be fine, especially since she’d posted a few comments on Facebook with periodic updates for her family and friends to see.

There are no words, anyone can say to a cancer patient or their family to ease the worry and concern during this painful and difficult process. Having been faced with my own mortality this past year, made us both all the more compassionate and understanding of the emotional upheaval of dealing with a potentially life-threatening condition.  

Although we have to leave Minnesota, we’ll be in close touch with Camille’s progress and continue to pray for a positive outcome. She has a long way to go with her many upcoming treatments and eventual surgery, but our thoughts will always be with her.

At the moment, I am sitting in a Perkins Restaurant working on today’s post. At 4:45 pm, son Greg will pick me up to attend the bake sale at the kid’s school for which we’d made tons of Rocky Road Bars we placed in pretty holiday tins for tonight’s event. 

It was quite a job, putting together all those containers with over 200 bars, but it’s for a good cause for the Agamim Charter School fundraiser. We all got involved in the process and ultimately I made it through the hours of baking and standing on my feet. My only issue was the difficulty in breathing due to the cat.

Baking for hours was something I hadn’t done since last Thanksgiving when I made eight pumpkin pies in the 102F (40C) heat and humidity in Marloth Park when I classified my day as a “Pumpkin Pie Hell.” See the link here.

The awful heat had a huge impact on the made-from-scratch dough, almost impossible to roll in the awful weather but somehow I made it through the day. The pies didn’t look as good as they tasted, so said our holiday dinner guests!

We would have loved to stay in Minnesota for Thanksgiving dinner, but there were limited non-stop flights available and that particular day offered the best options. We’ll arrive in Henderson, Nevada in the early evening and possibly go out for dinner thereafter.

That’s it for today, folks! Tomorrow’s another day.

Be well.

                                        Photo from one year ago today, November 14, 2018:
This morning, Tom stood next to Ms. Bushbuck to prevent kudus from stealing her share of pellets. For more photos, please click here.

We’re ending 67 days spent in the USA…Now back out to "The World."…

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A cloudy day, water, and mountain scene.

We got some sleep last night. Maybe after almost five years of world travel, we’re finally able to get some sleep the night before we depart a location for new land. 

In years past, neither of us was able to get in more than a few hours. I tossed and turned for about an hour around 4:00 am but nodded off for a final solid hour, feeling considerably better upon awakening around 6:00 am. Tom did the same, and now as I sit at my laptop in the guest room of Richard’s home, Tom’s chomping at the bit to pack my computer and for us to be on our way. 

Common Barrel Cactus.

Saying goodbye and heartfelt thanks to Richard, we were out the door of his home by 8:30. The airport is only 15 minutes from Henderson. The traffic was light. 

We’d decided to finish today’s post at the airport while we await our 11:25 am flight on United Airlines. Ugh!  Now, as I continue the post, I’m seated in “chairs” close to the entrance to McCarren International Airport, waiting for Tom to return after dropping off the rental car. 

I zoomed in on these cactus flowers. Wow! They’re amazing!

Within about 20 minutes, Tom returned, and we headed to the tram to distant gate 55D. This is a huge airport, and everything seems so far away. After the tram ride, we walked quite a distance to our gate, and now, we’re comfortably situated at a table and chairs at a Starbucks near the entrance. 

Even Tom, who’s usually stressed on travel days, seems quite content, especially with the TSA pre-approval we had on both of our tickets. We breezed through security without having to take off our shoes. That was nice. 

Yesterday, we prepaid our three checked bags, and today, they were weighed and checked in curbside by a United skycap. There were no overweight fees this time. A few days ago, we made a trip to Goodwill in Henderson, dropping off more odds and ends clothing that was old and we didn’t expect we’d wear over these next few years.

The skycap noted on his computer screen that we’re changing planes in Houston and that we’re going on to Costa Rica. Good thing we’d booked that flight to Nicaragua that occurs 89 days after our arrival tonight in San Jose, or we wouldn’t have been allowed to take the second leg of the flight from Houston to San Jose.

Another commonly seen cactus.

Costa Rica requires an exit ticket purchased before arrival in their country to ensure we’d be leaving. They don’t allow visitors into their country with a one-way ticket or if they plan to stay longer than 90 days. Our exiting ticket was satisfactory.

There will be no suitable meals available for purchase for me on either of the two flights. With only about an hour layover in Houston, there won’t be time to dine in a restaurant at the airport. A few minutes ago, I brought along a few low-carb protein bars and purchased a small bag of mixed nuts for $7.50. 

Susan’s dog Owen always sat up like this when I visited.

In 40 minutes, we’ll board the plane and be on our way. It’s funny, but this leg of our journey feels as if it’s a crucial stretch toward our travels over the next few years. First, we’ll travel from Central America to South America, and then after that to Antarctica, we’ll be heading back to Africa. I can’t believe how quickly this all came up.

We haven’t yet decided where we’ll go after our last booked cruise on March 24, 2019, and the next shorter-this-time return visit to the US. However, after we have spent a year in Africa in 2018 and part of 2019, we’ll have a better idea of what’s on the agenda from there.

A view of the condos at The District in Green Valley Ranch.
In essence, good health providing we have all the time in the world to make those decisions. But, one thing we know for sure, again good health providing, we look forward to continuing on and on and on.
We’ll be back tomorrow morning from Atenas, Costa Rica, with photos of our amazing new villa. Please check back soon.  Have a wonderful day whatever you may decide suits you the best!
Photo from one year ago today, August 1, 2016:
Tuk-tuks come in all shapes, sizes, and colors in Thailand and are used commonly by tourists as opposed to rental cars or taxis, which are much more expensive. Please click here for more Phuket photos and a few from our previous trip to Vietnam/Cambodia.

Final expenses for 25 days in Nevada…Back out “to the world tomorrow!”….A new normal…

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Mountain view on a rare cloudy day.

This morning I packed my one suitcase of clothing and collected items for our supplies bag. My bag weighs well under the 50 lb maximum (23 kg). Indeed today, I’ll find odds and ends to get me up to the 23 kg maximum allowed by the airlines.

In a way, it’s bittersweet, packing and leaving the US once again for the next two years when once again we’ll return to visit family. Next time, we won’t stay quite as long, most likely for a total of one month between Minnesota and Nevada, giving us plenty of time to be with family and friends.

Here are our total expenses for the 25 nights in Henderson, Nevada:

 Expense   US Dollar 
Housing (Richard’s home)   $                       –  
 Gifts & Misc.   $                  299.00
 Airfare    $               1,137.00
 Rental Car & Fuel  $                  926.00
 Groceries   $               1,245.30
 Dining Out   $                  402.52
 Supplies & Pharmacy   $                  609.32
 Entertainment   $                  310.25
 Total   $               4,929.39
 Avg Daily Cost 25 days   $                  197.18

Now, as we pack and make the necessary preparations to continue our world journey, we’ve further discovered that this nomadic life we live is our “new normal.” 

There’s no way we can envision living in one place, renting a condo somewhere, and returning to a life of owning “stuff,” shopping among the crowds, waiting in traffic, and considering times to go out based on when “rush hour” ends. That’s no longer who we are.

We ask ourselves, “Was that ever us anyway?”

Two Mallards are sharing a rock in the pond at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve.

As we’ve melded into life in the convenient Henderson, Nevada location, over these past 25 days, we’ve realized how far removed this easy life is from our reality. Living in constant temperature-controlled comfort, with nary an insect in sight, little wildlife, and nature surrounding us, we’re starving to be living in a challenging environment.

To be surrounded by nature, including the good and not so good, and the occasional discomforts that remind us of our humanness and vulnerability, is where we long to be.

One of eight ponds in the preserve.

That’s not to say that living in a luxury villa in Costa Rica will be tough. It will be easy in most ways. But, we’ll be surrounded by expansive views, varying temperatures and climate, and some of the finest wildlife in the world. 

Costa Rica is a country rich in unique and colorful inhabitants, both human and animal. Yes, modern conveniences will be enjoyed and appreciated but never taken for granted. Our goals will still be to focus on that which always appeals to us the most.

Is this a weather ball I shot from a distance?

We have a plethora of tasks to complete while in Costa Rica, including tax stuff, visa extensions, trips to a dentist (we’ve both lost a few fillings), other financial “paperwork,” and beginning the process of preparing for the Antarctica cruise which requires medical certifications and tons of forms to complete.

We hope to get as much of this “work” completed shortly after we arrive to leave us ample time to focus on our interests in culture and take photos of the extraordinary scenery and wildlife that Costa Rica offers in abundance.

Today, we’ll complete the packing, make a quick trip to the market to replace any paper products and supplies we used while living in Richard’s home (he doesn’t expect this but, that’s just us), and fill the little white car with fuel. 

Mountains surround the Las Vegas valley.

Tonight, we’ll all dine on the leftover pizza which I made yesterday with a new salad I’ll make today.  Overall, with as much as we’ve already completed, the day won’t be much busier than most. Thanks, Richard, for an excellent stay in your beautiful home!

Tomorrow, we’ll post from the airport while we await our flight. We’re leaving for the airport at 8:30 am, although our flight isn’t until 11:25 am. Returning the rental car is far from the airport and requires a 10 minute or more ride in a shuttle to return to the airport where I’ll be waiting for Tom.

Tom feels more comfortable leaving for the airport earlier rather than later. I’m OK with that since it is an international flight after all, and I’ll have more time to upload a new post while we’re waiting.

We’ll be back tomorrow with some favorite Nevada photos and our goodbyes once again to the USA as we continue on our “new normal.” We can’t stop smiling.

May your day bring many smiles!

Photo from one year ago today, July 31, 2016:

One of two long piers in Chalong Bay. At that time, I was still recovering from the spine injury in Bali occurring on June 1, 2016, and I couldn’t make the long walk on the pier. Now, I wouldn’t have thought about it twice.  For more photos, please click here.

Last night at the Las Vegas Strip…Dinner and movie…Two days and counting…

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Tom, walking toward the Palms entrance, one of the less exciting casinos in Las Vegas located off the Strip near the Rio.

Last night, we joined Richard and friends for one last night at the Las Vegas Strip. Since most likely we won’t have access to English-speaking movies in theatres for some time, we all decided to see the famous war epic, Dunkirk would be a good choice.

Choosing to see it in an IMAX theater may not have been the perfect decision. The sound was ear-splitting, and although we sat a distance from the massive screen, it felt as if we were too close.

We walked through the casino after dinner to the IMAX Theatre to see Dunkirk.

As for the movie itself, I probably liked it the most. Tom’s not a fan of movies that ‘jump around” from one segment to another and this movie, although visually stunning in many ways, did precisely that. 

Nonetheless, Dunkirk was worth seeing and was, for us, most likely, the last movie we’d see in a theatre until we return to the US in 2019 for another visit. With Costa Rica, Argentina, and Africa on the horizon over the next few years, going to movie theatres won’t be on our agenda.

The Sports Book at the Palms.

Of course, we often watch movies on Amazon Prime and those we download using Graboid (monthly payment of $19.99) that we’ve continued to use over these past many years of world travel. By using this app and others, we’re able to see most US and British TV shows and movies.

The IMAX theatre is located in The Palms, a lower-priced resort, hotel, and casino located off the Strip near the Rio. We were disappointed by the dining options available prior to the movie but its didn’t make sense to go to another casino for dinner. As a result, we dined in the casual and somewhat mediocre spot not far from the theatre.

McDonald’s bright lights in the food court.

In any case, we had an enjoyable evening, our last time out and about in Las Vegas. Yesterday, during the day, I visited with my dear sister Susan for most of the day, saying our final emotional and tearful goodbyes.  The many times we spent together over these past 23 days will remain in my heart until I see her again during our next visit to Nevada.

Using Skype, Susan and I speak often, and we never feel quite so far away. Once we’re settled in Costa Rica, I’ll call her, and once again, we’ll catch up as we always have, which means so much to both of us.

The large oval bar was found upon entering the Palms.

Today, we’re staying in, packing a few odds and ends. But tomorrow will be our packing day when we’ll organize, fold and put together our “stuff” before leaving early on Tuesday morning.

Also, today, we’ll make one more round of our favorite pizza. Once we leave the US, it’s never quite the same when we can’t find authentic spicy Italian sausage. We’ve asked in every country we’ve visited, and even in Italy, it wasn’t comparable to the sausage we’ve used in the US. We’ll continue to make our favorite low-carb, grain/starch/sugar-free pizza using whatever sausage we’re able to find.

Tom’s Reuben sandwich with fries.

With only two days remaining until we leave the USA once again, we’re grateful for the quality time we’ve been able to spend with family and friends but, we’re incredibly excited to return to our nomadic lives of world travel. 

Enjoy your Sunday or Monday if you’re on the other side of the International Dateline, where we’d spent almost the last two years before returning to the US.

The bright light from the Luxor Sky Beam with 42.3 billion candelas, as we entered Highway I215 to return to Richard’s home after the evening ended. The light is visible by aircraft from a cruising altitude of 275 miles (443 km).

Photo from one year ago today, July 30, 2016:

Although we were in Phuket one year ago today, we continued to share photos from our Vietnam/Cambodia river cruise. Kong, our tour guide, encouraged kissing in front of the Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House, where the movie, The Lover, was filmed in Sa Dec, Vietnam, in 1992. We had no trouble cooperating!  Please click here for more photos.